IN the 14th Century they sent us the Flemish weavers that heralded Manchester's industrial future. In the 21st we send them promising Manchester United footballers to hone their skills in the Belgian league.
The links between Manchester and the stunning city of Antwerp have been long and diverse and now, with the inauguration of direct flights between the two cities, they are closer than ever.
Though it's Bruges rather than Antwerp that draws the tourist crowds, the latter is grander; a delightful, more compact and easily walkable version of all that's spectacular about Brussels minus the armies of politicians, bureaucrats, lobbyists and their expense accounts that drive up the price of just about everything in the capital.
Advertisement your story continues below
Well-preserved Antwerp has history by the shed load. While Amsterdam, across the Dutch border, has Rembrandt, Antwerp rejoices in its own artistic masters including Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony Van Dyck.
The Golden Age of the great port city on the River Scheldt flourished under Spanish rule, growing after the decline of Bruges to become the second largest European city north of the Alps by 1560. The symbols of its wealth and status remain, like the magnificent Cathedral of Our Lady, finished in 1518, with its elegant stone filigree spire and sumptuous Rubens paintings within. Nearby the Grote Markt, enclosed by ornate guild houses and the imposing the city hall, is reminiscent of Brussels' Grand Place with its open air cafes, restaurants and bars.
The morning VLM flight from Manchester, 90 minutes in a roomy, leather-seated twin-turboprop Fokker 50, afforded a seven-hour "taster" day out in Antwerp. Enough time to stroll around the striking Art Nouveau streets of Zurenborg, just outside the city's historic core and a tasting of Trappist and Lambic beers (plus Antwerp's hoppy local brew DeKoninck) at the charming, family-run court-yarded De Groot Witte Arend café before lunch at the renowned Huis De Colvenier.
Over canapés in the restaurant's wine cellar, Andy Welsh, Manchester United's coach at their "feeder club" Royal Antwerp reported that he and his six young charges were thoroughly enjoying their sojourn in the city.
Later we toured the Cathedral, window shopped in the fashion district, put on the map by the "Antwerp Six", a group of influential designers that emerged from the city's Royal Academy of Fine Arts in the 1980s, and caught a glimpse of Rubens' house before heading off for the 6pm return flight.
It was a fascinating snapshot of a city full of treasures, worthy European City of Culture in 1993. I'll be back; next time for longer.
